Apparatus for positioning parts on bodies



May 14, 1929. s. J. LQNERGAN 1,712,925

APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING PARTS ON BODIES Filed May 2S, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aymmmus FOR POSITIONING PARTS oN BODIES Filed May 28, 1922s 5 sheets-sheet 2 if imma s. J. LONERGAN 1,712,925

APPARATUS FOR POSTIONNG PARTS ON BODIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 14, 1929.

Filed May 28,: 1926 @M01/cc;

May 14, 1929. s. J. LoNr-:RGAN

APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING PARTS ON BODIES Filed May 28, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Bmw.

May 1929. s. J. LONERGAN 1,712,925

APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING PARTS 0N BCDI-ES Filed May 28, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED srA'rss retrasar orrlcr..

SIMON J. LNERGAN, LA PRTE, INDIANA. ASEIllftlt` lll() BASTIASPMORLEY CO., 01 LA Pli'llll, INDIANA., .er CREORATN' DF NDIANA..

APPARATUS FOR POSITINING PARTS ON BODIES.

Application filed May 28 1926.'

This invention relates to apparatus for applying devices to Walls of bodies, more particularly where the devices have sereT tlireaded connection with such Walls. ln

5 one application oi the invention, I have applied it foruse in. threading bodies intestinal position in openings formed in the 'Walls et containers or in bushings or hung; rings which have been previously mounted or seio cured therein. i

One object ot the invention is to provide an improved apparatus .of this character which is relatively simple in `cmistruction and readily operated. 'W

Another object olE theinvention is. to construct an apparatus capable of positioning in a Wall one device or a plurality oil devices simultaneously ina ready and rapid manner, whereby a relatively large saving of time and labor results. i

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an improved apparatus el. this character capable of positioninga plurality et' devices on a wall Without changing or movinfr the latter.

A further object et the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of this character capable of positioningr devices ondiflierent Walls y of a container in a ready manner. i

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the aeeompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a side viesT el an apparatus loodyiugn my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

lligj is an end view. y

Figpelis a section on the line il-f---loli Fie'. l. y

Fie. 5 is a lragmentary view.. partly section on line 5-53 et Fins. l and lijp: 6 a section on. the line (lm-(S Fig.

Fig. 7 is a" Fie'. 5.

Fia

n Figi; 7.

tl (l section on the line 8 is a section on the line .HW-Q,

is z` on the line 5)--9 sect1' on a section on the line l0--l0 Serial No. 112,416.

Fig: ll is a section on the line ll-ll of Fie'. 10.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a .trame or suitable support preferably comprising; a pair of `channel members l7 ll supported 1n spaced relation by uprights ll. 2 indicates r an entirety a bed on which the body such as a container"for `tluid is supported While the devices or bodies to be later referred to are being positioned in or upon the Wall or Walls thereof. The bed E2 is adjustable vertically so that the' apparatus may be readily adapted to diderent sized containers.` The container' chosen herein ior illustrative purposes comprises a hot Water boiler A for domestic use having;l an annular side wall a, a lower end wall or bottom it (Fin: 5) and an upper end or top Wall e2; the annular Wall e beine;

preferably extended to 'Form a skirt a, which as is customary in some types oi.

bo'ilers-eneloses the burner that heats the water therein. The bottom wall e is termed with an opening@1 Z) (prr-derably` disN posed axially ot the boiler A) and the upper wall` o? formed with openings-i o, o. either or both o'i'." which may be disposed eccentrically of' the boiler axis. Both end Walls are formed with aligned openings da (one being shown in llipg. G) through which extends a vent pipe li leading' :trom the combustion space .vithin the skirt a to carry oli the products o'l.t combustion therein. (il, C, indicate bushings or loungv rings suitably mounted and secured in the openings o, 2'). and each having; one Wall (lrn'elferably its inner wall) threaded to receivea threaded device, element or littinpj (indicated at l), D), whereby pipes or other devices may be connected to the boiler end walls e", e', resinietively. Each of these elements is pro vided with an irregular shaped portion l arranged to lit Within and engage the walls o a drivm socket member, indicated as an entirety at 3 or 3, whereby the device or element may be rotated. to eilect its posif'gfioninie` or tightening! in the adjacent bushine (l, C', as Will later be described.

Vlhile my improved apparatus may be operated, to position one or more devices or elements on or in one end Wall only of the container A, l have provided for the position-ing of devices or elements in the opposite end walls thereof, thereby increasing the Vspeed of operation and reducing the laborj required, to the end that large capacity of the apparatusI results per unit of time.

` mentsdesignated D--in the top wall a2.

Due to the .fact that the bodies o1' containers A are round, the bed 2 preferably Y comprises two rows ofrollers or disks 4, this forni of construction serving to `keep each boiler A or the fitting element C, C', therein rin alignment with the socket members 3, 3',

and also facilitating the eiidwise movement of ther-boiler into operative relation to oi' between the socket members. The rolls or y disks tare loosely mounted on shafts 5 supation of one about its fulcruin ate` the other lever and thus serve to move yported attheir opposite ends by levers vt3,

which are fulcrumed on transverse rods T. The rods 7 are mounted in openings formed in the channel bars 1*.' The hubs of the disks 4 may be held against the 'inner faces of the levers 6 by Cotter pins 8. The oppo- .site -ends-ofeach shaft are suitably secured to theadjacent'levers so that the oper- 7 will opervboth disks 4- together. The lower Vor free Yends ofthe levers at one side are connected together by a. bar 9, eachI lever 6 being pivotally connected thereto by a bolt 10 or other device, so thattl'ie movement of the bar endwise will simultaneously swing all of the levers and thus y'raise or lower the disks 4 together as a unit. The bar 9, at one end, is pivotallyv connected to a nut 11 with which ils-connected a threaded shaft 12. The shaft 12 is mounted in a suitable bearing provided in a bracket 13 and has secured to it a hand wheel 11 by which thev shaft 12 is rotated. `The bearing for the-shaft 12 is 'constructed to permit swinging movement of the shaftr 12, whereby it may accommodate a. pair of shafts 17, 17a, preferably disposed Xin'ivertical alignment and equal distances kfrom the axis of vthe boiler A, since itis customary (but not anecessity) Ato mount the bushings C equal and predetermined distances froml the axis 'of the boiler eren thoughthe latter may vary in diameter.v 1S,

18a, indica-te suitable 'bearings for the shafts 17, 17,- mounted in the plates 15, the bearings 18a having shoulders 18 which bear against the inner plate to take any end thrust resulting from the operation of positioning the elements D. The inner ends of the shafts 17, 17L arc provided with threads to iitwithin threaded openings in the main portion 19 of the socket members 3 (sce Fig. 10).

20 indicates as an entirety a driving means for each shaft' 17. 1`7. (lf these means. 21 indicates a driven element loosely tit ting the adjacent shaft', whereby it is lrcc to rotate and slide thereon. This driven element preferably consists of a sprocket that is cngaged and driven by ay suitable chain 22. 23 indicates a disk arranged to engage one face of the sprocket- 21, the friction therebetween serving to transmit power from the sprocket to the disk. The hub 23 of the disk is connected to the shaft Iby a pin 2215, whereby the adjacent shaft yt7 or t7 is driven. 24 indicates a disk engaging the opposite face of the sprocket 21 and normally pressed thereagainst by a spring 25, whereby frictional engagement is maintained between the sprocket 21 und disk 23. 'l'hc disk 2l may be freely mounted on the shaft to rotate and slide relative thereto. The spring 25 is preferably in the form o a helix, and abuts at'y one end the disk 241 and at its opposite end a collar 26. The collar 2G has screw threaded connection with the adjacent shaft 17 or 17, whereby it may be adjusted to increase or `decrease the tension of thc spring 25, and it may be locked or set in its adjusted position by one or more screws 27 threaded into openings formed in the collar. The friction clutch surfaces between the sprocket 21 and disk 23 may be provided with suitable friction increasing` material, indicated at 28i The drivingl means 2t) for each of the shafts 17, 17, are similar in construction, but the elements of one are reversed relative to those of the other, so that they will occupy less space. Then the Aboiler Ais positioned on the bed 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 10, with the socket members 3, 3, enveloping and engaging the elements D, and the shafts 17, 1'1"', are driven, these elements D will be screwed down and tightened into final position in the bushings C or until the resistance dueto tightening overcomes the friction between the sprockets and the adjacent clutch disks, whereupon thc sprockets will slip relative to the disk. The springs 25 are adjusted to maintain the friction clutch surfaces in yieldablc engagement with su'liicicnt pressure to insure the final positioning of the elements D in the bushings C. The driving mechanism for the sprockets 21 will be later referred to.

29 indicates a shaft slidably and adjustably mounted in a mounting, indicated as an entirety at 30, and carrying at its inner end the socket member 3 adapted to envelope and engage the irregular portion E of the lltl element- D for p.ositioningI the latter in the bushing C' on the wall a. o'li the boiler A. The uiountiing' 3() romprisesa pair oi spared martire] plates 81. 31% supported on and secured to the bars liL by angles 32, ecreutrics 33, 33", rotatably mounted in aligned openings lornied in the plates 31, '31, and a sleeve shaft 3d rffitatable in the eccentrics 33, 33t. The sha'lit 29 is slidable endwise in Vthe sleeve shaft 34. but is keyed thereto by the keys 357 so that the shaft 529 Will be `rotated by the .sh-att 34. rlhe keys 35 project through openings termed .in the sleeve shaft 34 into the splines 29"', the keys being held in position by rings 36 which are connected to the shaft 34 by screws or bolts 37 (see Fig. 8). The shaft 2S) has a relatively loose lit Within the sleeve shaft 34, thereby perlnitting the shaft 29 to be readily operated endwise to nieveV the soeketmember 3 carried at its inner end into and out ot operatiye position as Well as to permit a slight swinging movement of the shaft in order that the socket member may accommodate itself to slight irregularities in the position or location of the element D to be engaged.

38 indicates means for driving the sleeve shaft 34. The driving means 38 are preterably similar .in construction to the driving means 20, 'for Which reason itWll not be necessary to describe them.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the shaft 29 is relatively long partly to enable it to cooper ate With `the shafts 17, 17d, to ,operate upon boilersof different sizes and partly to enable it to be retracted far enough to clear the open end ot the boiler skirt a3.

Where heatingelernents D `are to be applied to a different size of boiler, or Where the bushings C' are positioned to one sido ot the axis ofthe boiler A, the shafts 29 and 34 are adjusted vertically, by rotation ot the eceentrics 33 itfto `position the socket 3 in the desired position. `For this purpose/9 an arm 39 is rigidly secured to and extends out Wardly from each eccentric7 and at their outer ends, these arms 39 are connected together by a rod ll() which serves as a handle for operating' the eccentrics.` As shown in Fig. `l, the handle 4l() extends horizontally Within easy reach oi the `operative. Jtiny suitable inea-ns may be provided for seein'- inu the eccentrics 33,332 or their olniratinil elen'ients 39. 39, 40, in adjusted position. As illustrative o'li` one form ot securing means, l provide a screw 39',` iitt" .5 a threaded opening `in one oil the arms4 ai) aiu adapted, when turned or rotated in one direction, to engage the adjacent support'ip; plate 3l". as shown in Furs. ll and 2..

indicates a motor `(preiterably ol the electric type) mounted on a base lt. The shalt of the inotor carries a pulley el? tor a belt d8, which engages and drives a large pulley 4:9. The belt #i8 loosely surroinids the pulley 475 so that under normal conditions it may sli p thereon, but by lthe aerien ol an idler talee-up pulley lio the belt lf-l, it may be t ,d itened relativeto the pulley lf and thus jvierinittlie latter to `drive the pulley llt The pulley 5U is loos-sely mounted on a shaft "*a the latter beine` mounted on an arni 5l, which is lined to a rod or shaft 52v trunnioned at its opposite ends in openings ilorn'led in cri s inenibers l". The rod 52 is provided with arms 5Fl connected at their outer ends by a bar 53, which constitutes afoot pedal, whereby the operative can conveniently operate the arin 5l to effect engagement o'lE the talre-up or tipjhtening;v pulley 50 with the belt etti. vThe pulley 50 is normally held out ot' engagement with the belt 4:8 by a spring),- 54;, Apreierably connected at one end to the trame l. and at its oppositeend to the bar 53a. By preference, the arm 5l carries a bracket 5lon Which is supported a shoe 5l arranged to engage the inner surface oi the pulley riin ancl 'elieet a bra g acting` thereon. llue to the arrangement l? these elementse as .shown in Fig'. 3g the brake shoe is released when the pulley 5() is moved into engagement with the belt 48 and appliral when the pulley 5() disengages the belt. The pulley lll) is secured to a shaft 55 which extends longitudinally of the frame l; beine; mounted in suitable bearings in the upriglil's il. llear one end the shaft carries a spur pinion 5G. The pinion 56 meshes with af gear 5T Vlined to a counter-shaft 58, which is mounted in. l

bearings 582K. carried by the depending` sections oit the plates 3l, 3121. The shaft 58 carries a .sprocket (it) around which and the eue-swing); one run ol' .sprocket 2l ot the driving;- means 38 runs a suitable chain 38 to operate said nie-ane.

Near its opposite end, the shaft carries a sprocket till. (Fig: 4l), Whicln by means o'l'f a eliain, drives a sprorloit effi fixed to a shalt G44. The ls'hatt lill in turn er 'ries synfocltets 65, arouiul which the chains for the sprockets 2l ot the driving"means 2O run and 'trein which these latter sprockets are driven. rlhe ratio between the resilwetive power elements lor the driving` means E20, @Gand 353 are preferably the sanierso that the shafts 1751711 and 29 may be driven at sulratantially the saine speed.

Each oj the socket members tl ilor enganinp; and rotating' the elements l) inountdd on the upper end wall o cou'ipriees a l1o.l lowed out body levier; a main. portion or bottom 19 (already referred to) and annulazr side Walls lil lornied with a series oli op ings (3G to receive balls 6T, a ball race er; unfroundnur the wall til and a flange ttf. The tripge (il) serves as a rare' (iube j "ld thereagrainst by a roller i0 'lined to the Wall 19 by a set screWTlH and as a bear-inn' member or abutment lo engage the top wall o as rotates. The relli) l EN) cesses or openings 6G correspond in number to. thenumbei' ot angular -sides provided on the irregular body portion E of the element D, so that the balls 67 may engage. therewith andi through their cti-operation rotate such element to effect its positioning in the adjacent bushingl C. The side walls ot the openings 66 are shaped to prevent the balls Y from falling out therefrom.

The socket member 3 comprises a recess 69 formed in` the outer end lot a shank 70, whichV m turn is secured at its iiiiiei end to the outer end ot the shaft 29. The side wall balls 72 are arraneed. to eneae'e the angular G Y C5 h i faces ot the body portion E ot the device or element D, the number ot balls being;` equal to the number of faces provided on` the body portion, and co-operate te torni a connection between the socket member 3 and device Dto etlect ay rotation ot' the latter when the shaft 29 is driven. By providing a series of balls to engage the body portion E of each element,- a number of advantages are attained; for example: the balls being loose ,in4r their retaining openings, they are, within certain limits, free to move outwardly and inwardly Vand substantially circumferentially and hence accommodate themselves to any disalignment that may occur in the lo- Vcation ofthe elements D, D, or the cen- .struction of their walls or the angular relation that the faces E may have asthe elements are moved into the sockets 3, 3"; also they act, without causing friction, to guide the body kportion E ot the element into the socket within and in activerelation to theballs.

75 indicates a conveyor extending' from a source of supply or warehouse for the containers A and leading to a position atene side .of the trame "71. That port-ion. of the *conveyor 7 5adjacent theframe l is preterably incorporated therewith to simplity the `construction by mounting a separate channel 76 spaced relation to the channel 1nl and supporting' it on legs 77. The convey- Qing elements preferably comprise aligned rolls'or disks 78 loosely mounted on sliatt-s 79 which are suitably supported by the chanfIn operation, the containers or boilers A, having the elements D, D', loosely engaging the bushings C, C', are fed endwise successively by the conveyor each to a position at one side ot the bed 2. The container that is in this latter position is manually rolled ollI the conveyor 7G, across an intermediate support 80 onto the bed 2, which has been previously adjusted by the hand wheel lll; to the desired position accordingl` to the size ot theboiler to be operated upon.

The boiler A, is then adjusted annularly on the bed 2 to alien the couplings C, and elements D, D, thereon with the socket members and following this, it is moved endwise to project these parts into the menibers l (see Fig. l0). Next, the slialt il (which has been previously adjusted) is moved endwise trom the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Figs. l and 5, tl'iereby causing,` the socket member tl' to engage. the element D. Next. the pedal 53 is pressed downwardly which operation eltccts a transmission ot power trom the. motor 45, through the pulley 49, shal't 55, counter-shafts 5S and G4 to the driving means 20, 21 and 3S. As a result', they socket members 3, 3', will he simultaneously driven and in turn screw the elements D, D, into tinal posit-ion. lVhen tightened sutlicient to eliect slippage between the clutch tai-es 2S, the operative may release the pedal and stop the shafts 17. 17, 2t. lt`ollowiir;r the stopping' ot Athese shafts, the shaft .29 is moved. endwise in the opposite direction to the position shown in Fig. 2` which is lieyond ,the end of the skirt u and then the boiler A is removed from the bed 2 and another positioned thereon in the manner already set forth.

By means ot' the pinion. 56 and gear 57, the shaft 5S is driven oppositely to the sha'l't 64e, in order that the elements D and D may be rotated in the proper directions from a single driving* source.

From the foregoingr description it will be seen thatvmy machine is relatively simply and easily operated and permits one or more elements to be put on one end of a container or elements to be put on both ends simultaneously. Then one or more elements are put on the top wall a?, the shaft 29 is operated to bringT its outer end or the socket; member 3 into or substantially into engagement with the bot-tom wall 0,', thereby tending to prevent any thrust of the boiler away trom the socket members 3.

It will also be noted from the foregoing` descriptionthat I provide two adjustments one for the bed on which the container A rest-s and another tor the shaft 29. By arranging the bushings C at predetermined distances from each other for containers ot ditlerent sizes, the :uljustment ot the bed will enable any size container to be operated upon by the sockets 3, 9; whereas by the provision of an adjustment tor the shaft let the shaft 29 may be brought into alignment Eltl ltltl lllfi tit) with elements D', whether disposed axially ot the body A. or at one side of its axis.`

Furthermore, by reason of' the latter adjustment, it is not necessary for the busl'iings C, C, to be in diametrical relation. Accord ingly it will be seen that my machine adapts itseltl to dil'ljerent sizes of containers and also diilerent positions of the elements relative to the axis thereof.

To those slilled in the art to which my invention relates many changer-i in construction and widely difiering embodiments and applications oi the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

l. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a support for a body, a de vice rotatably mounted thereon and arranged to engage an element to be positioned on the body, said device comprising a hollow member having balls uniformly spaced around its side Awall and serving); as inter locking means Ato engage and rotate the element, and means 'tor rotating said device.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim l in which the device provided. with retaining means arranged to permit independent movement ot the balls relative to each other.

In mechanism oit the class described, the combination oi'f a support i'or a body, a device rotatably mounted thereon and arranged to engage an element to be positioned on the body, a lange arranged. to revolve on the wall ot the body and maintain the device and body in operative relationship. Y

l. A mechanism as claimed in claim l in which that portion of the support on `which the body rests comprises a series oit pairs of rolls mounted on t lansvereely arranged axes.

5. In mechanisi'n of the class described, the combination ot a support having a bed arranged to receive and hold a body, a device rotatably mounted on said support and arranged to engage an element to be positioned on the body and interlock therewith, said bed comprising a plurality o shafts carrying rolls with which the body engages, levers It'or supporting said shafts and means tor operating said levers to adjust the rolls rela tive to said device, and means tor rotating said device.

G. In mechanism oii the class described, the combination ot a support having` a bed ior a body, devices rotatably mounted on said support and arranged to engage elements on different walls of said body and interlock therewith, one oli said devices be ing movable relative to the adjacent wall of the body to permit positioning of the latter on said bed, and means tor' rotating said devices.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim G in which said devices are opposed and engage the elements on opposite walls o1 the body.

8. In mechanism ot the class described, the combination ot a support having a bed to hold a body, a shaitt on said support in `eccentric relation to the axis oi: the body and carrying socket arranged to envelope an element on one wall oit the body and interloclr therewith, a separate shalt on said support carrying a socket arranged to envelope an element on the opposite wall oit the body and interlock therewith, one oit said shafts being movable into and out of operating position, and means tor rotating said shafts.

9. In mechanism oi the class described, the combination oit a support having a bed to hold a body, a shaft on said support in eccentric relation to the axis of the body and carrying a socket arranged to envelope an element on one wall ol' the body and interlock therewith, a separate shaft on said support carrying a socket arranged to envelope an element on the opposite wall ot the body and interlock therewith, one ot said shafts being movable into and out ot operating position, means for rotating said shafts, and cccentrically operated means for adjusting the l mentioned shaft.

10. In mechanism of the class described, the combination ol a support tor a body, a device rotatably mounted thereon and arranged to engage an element to be positioned on said body, said device comprising a hol low member having relatively movable elements uniformly spaced around its side wall and serving a means tor guiding the element on the body into said device and tor interlocking the device with the element, whereby the latter :is operated, and means :tor rotating said device.

ll. In mechanism of the class described, the combination oli a support 'for a body, devices rotatably mounted. on said support and arranged to removably engage elements on one or more walls of the body and inter loch therewith, one of said devices being movable relative to the adjacent body wall to permit positioning oit the body on said support, and Jfriction driving means itor each of said devices.

In testimony whcreoit, I have hereunto subscribed my name. i

SIMON J. LUNERGAN, 

